Don’t Let Diabetes Ruin Your
Travel Plans!
May 17, 2011
Vacations and travel are fun!!
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Great opportunity to re-energize yourself
Break away from the daily grind & doldrums
Chance for adventures
Spend quality time with friends/family
Time to make some memories
Learn something new
Rest
Fun!!
Travel begins as you leave your front door.
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Information can apply to:
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Short local outings
Weekend getaways
Week long trips and cruises
Exotic, once in a lifetime trips
Today’s Diabetes “Cruise”
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Captain: Mary Lawrence
Cruise Director: Kathy Haarmann
Travel Mates: Liz Patton, Nancy Trebilcock,
Mary Green
Customs
Port #1
Supply Island
Port #2
Tootsieville
Port #3 Nutrition Junction
Port #4
Disaster Dunes
The WORST-CASE SCENARIO
Survival Handbook: Travel
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The unexpected usually happens.
Accept the things that are beyond your
control.
Always have a contingency plan.
No matter how bad things are, they could be
worse.
Don’t respond to the possibility of bad luck or
problems with staying home.
Travel Issues
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50% of travelers run into problems
Flights are late—28% in December 2010
Bags are lost—3.1 million baggage reports
were filed in 2008
Reservations are mishandled
Weather is unpredictable
Cars break down
Things happen!
Diabetes Issues
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Irregular schedules
Inability to control all your food
Extreme amounts of activity
Time zone changes
Increased sensitivity to heat
Limited supplies
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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Your purse is stolen from the hook on the
bathroom door. It contains all your
medications.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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There is a tornado damaging the St. Louis
Lambert Airport totally closing the airport.
Your flight is cancelled for today and the
flights are all full tomorrow. Your arrival home
will be delayed by at least 36 hours. You do
not think your supply of insulin will last that
long.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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Your new Nike walking shoes that you bought
just for this trip, have rubbed a blister on foot.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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You get a case of Montezuma’s Revenge and
blood sugar’s are running high.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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The plane you are on has a mechanical
problem, and you are stuck on the plane with
no food service while they are making the
repair. You did not eat anticipating a snack
lunch on the plane. You are starting to feel
hypoglycemic.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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You are having abdominal pain that you have
self-diagnosed as an appendicitis attack. You
need to go the Emergency Room.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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You are at a Mexican resort for the week.
You get your meter out of the bag to test your
blood sugar, put in the strip, and the meter
does not turn on.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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You usually change out your pump reservoir
and set every three days. But you are rushed
before dinner and calculate that the insulin
will last until tomorrow. You decide to wait
and change it in the morning. When you
disconnect the next morning to change it, you
realize the site is red and very tender to
touch.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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You are on a day trip. You planned to eat
breakfast and lunch out, but dinner would be
at home. You brought medications for the
first two meals, but not for dinner. Your car
breaks down.
You do not know if you can get it fixed today,
but you know you will definitely not be home
for dinner and will have to grab some food at
a small diner.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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You accidentally left your meter in the car
while you spend a hot day at an amusement
park. When you return to the car and realize
your error, you use the control solution and
the result is out of range. You decide that
your strips have deteriorated and are
probably no longer accurate.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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You packed plenty of medications and testing
supplies for your trip. You have some supply
with you in your purse and the rest are
packed in your checked luggage.
The airline loses your luggage. As you start
your 4th day of vacation, your luggage has
still not turned up at your hotel.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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You have two glasses of wine at dinner. After
dinner, friends talk you into another glass back
at your condo. At 3 a.m. you awaken in a cold
sweat and a little confused.
Worst Case Scenarios—What do you do?
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During a warm summer day you enjoy a lot of
hiking and time at the pool in the sun. When you
check your blood sugar before dinner it is 280
mg/dl.
Identification and Information
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ID card or jewelry that identifies you have diabetes
Emergency contact information and your physician
phone #’s
List of medications
Brief health history
Prescription labels or letter from MD for the lancets
and insulin and needles that you are carrying
TSA notification card
TSA Notification Card
TSA Screening
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Metal detectors, full body scans and
enhanced full body pat-down
This can be concerning for pump users
TSA Web site—recommends you notify the
security officer you are wearing a pump and
ask for full-body pat-down and visual
inspection of pump
Advise officer pump cannot be removed as it
has needle (catheter) under the skin
TSA Screening
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Recommend medications in clear plastic bag
in carry on luggage
Rules can be different in other countries;
consult airline; list of supplies and
medications in signed letter from doctor
TSA.com
Medical and travel insurance
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Insurance for trip cancellation
Insurance for illness during trip
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More inclusive coverage from insurance company
Find out about healthcare system in
destination—nearest emergency room and
pharmacy
Determine how your regular insurance will
cover when out of the state/country
American Embassy may be of help
Packing medical supplies
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Pack more than you need! Bring at least
double.
Carry insulin and diabetes supplies with you
in your carry-on bag.
Insulin can go through x-ray; never put in
check bags
Divide supplies into two different locations
Have a list of prescription #’s and pharmacy
phone # or prescriptions “just in case!”
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Protect your bottles and meters/strips
Hot or cold climate may affect your insulin,
blood glucose meter, and strips
Special considerations
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Extra batteries for meter
Extra meter
Travel, disposable meter
Travel lancets
Control solution
Sharp’s container
Special considerations
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First Aid kit with over the counter medications
Antibiotic for traveler’s diarrhea
Water bottle
Visit Port #1 Supply Island
& Port #4 Disaster Dunes
Feet Don’t Fail Me Now!!
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More walking on vacation is inevitable!
Diabetic socks or good walking socks
Never bring your new shoes on vacation
Protect your feet
Be prepared for problems
Check your feet daily!
Seek care promptly
Moleskin products for blisters and calluses
Visit Port #2 Tootsieville
Eating on vacation
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Enjoy the change of pace—no cooking,
different restaurants, different foods.
Learn about local cuisine and specialty items
before you go.
Ask how foods are prepared so you can
make better choices
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Don’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach
Avoid drinks with sugar based mixers
Bring handy nutritious food items for in
between snacking or when no time to stop or
the travel day
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Don’t skip meals and keep portions
controlled.
Take time for more activity to balance out
eating and extra calories.
Drink plenty of water especially in the
summer heat and when more active.
Visit Port #3 Nutrition Junction
Don’t go too low
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Hypoglycemia can ruin your day.
Hypoglycemia is dangerous.
Hypoglycemia can occur when you least
expect it.
Hypoglycemia can occur when there is a
change from your usual eating and activity.
Check BS before driving.
Hypoglycemia
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Be prepared with healthy, portable snacks to
prevent hypoglycemia
Be prepared with treatment options if needed
Don’t forget the Glucagon Emergency Kit if
you have a prescription
Visit Port #4 Disaster Dunes
Dealing with travel tension
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Stress (and excitement) can trigger hormone
release which can raise blood glucose
Manage your response to stress
The 4-7-8 Breath
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Inhale through nose for count of 4
Hold for count of 7
Exhale through mouth for count of 8
General Traveling Tips
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Prevent blood clots and swelling—
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walking about every 2-3 hours
leg exercises while sitting
Traveling East will shorten your day and
decrease insulin needs.
Traveling West lengthens the day and
increases overall insulin needs.
In extreme heat, insulin in absorbed more
quickly; be prepared to adjust doses
General Traveling Tips
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Check blood glucose every few hours, especially on
travel days, until you settle into a routine.
Drink lots of water while in flight and while away.
This helps prevent clots, jet lag and constipation.
Sun protection!
If you don’t give time to diabetes, diabetes will take
time.
Be resourceful.
Proper preparation and prior
planning prove to prevent
problems!
7 P’
s
Bon Voyage!